How much does a Historians make?

The median annual wage for Historians is $76,750 ($37 per hour). Pay ranges from about $42,730 at the 10th percentile to $131,810 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Historians?

The average (mean) annual salary is $81,240, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Historianss the most?

Massachusetts has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $121,710.

Is Historians a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.5K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Historians do?

Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.; Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.; Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance..

Historians Salary

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 3.5K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$76,750

Median hourly

$37

Average annual

$81,240

Typical range

$42,730–$131,810

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$42,730

25th$57,290

Median$76,750

75th$99,990

90th$131,810

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Historians is $76,750 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $37 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters..

Most earn between $42,730 and $131,810 a year. There are roughly 3.5K people employed as historians in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Historians.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $36.90
Daily: $295
Weekly: $1,476
Bi-weekly: $2,952
Monthly: $6,396
Annual: $76,750

$76,750 a year is around the 50th percentile for Historianss. The median is $76,750.

Historians — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$20.60	$42,730
25th percentile	$27.50	$57,290
Median	$36.90	$76,750
75th percentile	$48.10	$99,990
90th percentile	$63.40	$131,810
Average (mean)	$39.10	$81,240
Employment	3,450 people

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Active Learning
Social Perceptiveness
Instructing
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1Massachusetts$121,710
2Maryland$120,580
3District of Columbia$118,290
4Minnesota$103,040
5Virginia$101,920
6Washington$99,720
7Oregon$99,560
8California$97,420
9Hawaii$92,520
10Illinois$89,670
11Louisiana$80,620
12Nevada$80,140

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$121,710
2Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$116,520
3Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$115,690
4San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$101,900
5Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$98,210
6Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$97,420
7Urban Honolulu, HI$95,470
8Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$89,670
9San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$88,790
10New Orleans-Metairie, LA$82,400
11Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$81,470
12New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$80,400

Related job titles

Employers advertise Historians roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Historians does

Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.
Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Historians make?: The median annual wage for Historians is $76,750 ($37 per hour). Pay ranges from about $42,730 at the 10th percentile to $131,810 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Historians?: The average (mean) annual salary is $81,240, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Historianss the most?: Massachusetts has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $121,710.
Is Historians a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.5K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Historians do?: Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.; Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.; Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance..